332 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



Geog. Dist. — North America from the Fur Countries to Florida and locally 

 throughout the west to southern and Lower California ; wintering locally 

 from Maine and the northern tier of states southward. 



County Records. — Androscoggin ; abundant summer resident, a few seen 

 in winter, (Johnson). Aroostook; common summer resident, (Knight). 

 Cumberland; common resident, (Mead). Franklin; common resident, 

 (Swain). Hancock; common resident, (Knight). Kennebec ; quite common 

 summer resident, rarely resident, (Gardiner Branch). Knox; resident, 

 (Rackliff). Lincoln ; common, (Norton). Oxford ; common, breeds, (Nash). 

 Penobscot; abundant summer resident, locally resident, (Knight). Piscata- 

 quis; summer resident, (Homer). Sagadahoc; common, (Spinney). Som- 

 erset; common summer resident; (Morrell). Waldo; common resident 

 along coast, common summer resident inland, (Knight). Washington; 

 common resident, (Boardman). York; common, (Adams). 



Along the coast Crows are permanent residents, and inland 

 they are very common throughout the entire State in spring, 

 summer and fall. While nearly all the inland birds withdraw 

 in late fall, a few remain in sheltered localities through the win- 

 ter and others appear after a mild spell of weather. At such 

 times I have watched them industriously searching for some- 

 thing over the snow clad fields, occasionally pausing to catch 

 and swallow some edible thing. It was a puzzle for a 

 long time what they were eating, but ultimately I discovered 

 that they were eating large numbers of mice. As nearly as 

 could be ascertained the Crows discovered evidences of the 

 mice being in their nests or shelters under the snow by finding 

 their breathing holes or other traces of their whereabouts, and 

 then quickly got at and killed them and swallowed them 

 entire. 



During the winter the Crows frequent the vicinity of manure 

 heaps in the fields, probably for several reasons, both for the 

 sake of various pickings in the food line including mice which 

 would be attracted to such places, and for the warmth also 

 obtainable. In spring they will assemble on newly plowed 

 fields and devour hundreds of grubs of June-beetles, cut worms 

 and other injurious insects. After the young corn has begun 

 to appear they will pull it up and will also do the same to 

 sprouting potatoes, peas, beans and many other growing seeds. 



